Bukit Relau hill-top destruction: Penang NGOs call for sterner action

A string of NGOs in Penang held a packed press conference at the Penang Heritage Trust office to call on state and local authorities to take stronger action against the developer responsible for the hill destruction at Bukit Relau. In particular, they want the authorities to use the Town and Country Planning Act, which allows for a maximum fine of RM500000, for unauthorised development. The TCPA also allows for the lifting of the corporate veil to make directors and other top officer personally responsible, which could even result in imprisonment of up to two years. Instead of the TCPA, the authorities had used the Street, Drainage and Building Act, which only allows for a maximum fine of RM50000 – without holding the directors personally liable. (The developer was fined RM30000 and the authorities are now appealing for a higher fine.) The NGOs also want the company and ot...